Things You Need to Know to be Successful in PR

            As much as I love Penn State’s College of Communications and public relations program, there are some things that you simply cannot learn in a classroom. My apologies to Comm 370 and Comm 473, but this summer at my internship I learned skills and tips that could never be conveyed through a PowerPoint or lecture. After four months of interning at Gloss PR, a Philadelphia-based public relations firm that works closely with the businesses of Rittenhouse Row, I realized that there are certain things you need to know and skills you need to have to be successful in the industry. As I sit and reflect on my amazing experience interning, I decided to formulate a cohesive list of my newly attained knowledge. Without further delay, here is my list of  “Things You Need to Know to be Successful in PR”:

1. It really isn’t a 9-5 job.

Carnegie building: Penn State's College of Communications headquarters

Kudos to professor Steve Manuel who, as anyone who has taken Comm 370 can attest to, drilled this into our heads. In class, I always brushed this off. However, within one week of interning, I learned just how true this was. The first event I worked called for a 12-hour day. I thought my boss would give me a day off to make up for this grueling Sunday, however there was still so much work to be done in the office. This would soon become normal. I often worked standard days and hours in the office during the week and then helped run events at night or on the weekends. Some of these events entailed very long hours. I realized that with public relations, a large part of your job does not take place in an office. Events and other promotions typically take place outside of normal office hours and you have to be prepared to accommodate your personal schedule. Even though the hours are demanding, I learned that the more you put into your job, the more you get out of it. 

2. Client relationships mean everything.

In the PR industry, if you do not have clients, you do not have a job. Therefore, the relationships you build with your clients are critical to your success. From months of observing, I learned that the best way to create strong relationships with clients is by balancing both professional and friendly aspects. In terms of the professional side of your client relationships, I learned the most effective way to keep them satisfied is to create a timeline of your course of action. So, if you want to have two events and three promotions within the next six months, it is best to set up a meeting and provide the client with copies of your plan of action and calendar and get their feedback. This provides an unofficial agreement of your responsibilities, keeps both you and the client on track, and is useful if there are any discrepancies regarding your services. While maintaining a professional relationship with your clients is of the utmost importance, it is also extremely beneficial to know your client on a more personal level. I’m not saying you and your client have to by having slumber parties and braiding each other’s hair, but you should establish that your client can talk to you as a friend. So crack some jokes in your meetings, compliment the manager’s new hairstyle, and turn on your charm. After all, people will be much more inclined to hire you and recommend you to others if they are a fan of both your work and your personality.

3. Being shy is not an option.

In the past, if my pizza delivery order were over two hours late, I would not have had the courage to call and ask about it. However after my internship, I would be on the phone faster than you could say “extra cheese.” Working at Gloss PR, I quickly learned that in the public relations field, you cannot be afraid to talk to people. I frequently had to make phone calls to clients, sponsors, and event guests to go over details, discuss payment options, and clarify information. It took a while, but I eventually got the hang of how to professionally convey my message on the phone and how to leave an effective voicemail. At first, I got nervous every time I had to make a phone call. But by the end of my internship, I had no hesitation when it came to communicating with clients. Phone calls are not the only form of communication you need to be comfortable with. Face-to-face encounters are even more important. I often had to go into stores and speak to managers about hanging event posters or giving out promotional items. I had to speak with confidence and professionalism. If I had allowed my shyness to take over and used a quiet voice while stammering, the managers probably would not have agreed to help us out. In a job that focuses so heavily on communication, it is simply not an option to be shy. Therefore, confidence is the best weapon a PR professional can have.

PR guru Samantha Jones certainly does not have an issue with being shy.

4. The key to success is to love what you do.

No matter how skilled you are or how much you know about your job, you will not be successful unless you love what you do. I can honestly say that I was excited to go into work everyday. I loved that no day was the same as the other and that I never knew what exciting new task or adventure laid before me. I also loved that I was gaining experience and knowledge of immeasurable value. Realizing that I love what I am going to be doing for the rest of my life was amazing. Judging by my bosses’ unfaltering affection for their jobs, I know that this passion for public relations will not fade. After months of interning, I have concluded that the number one key to a successful and happy career is being passionate about your work. 

This post originally appeared on The PRSSA Lawrence G. Foster Chapter blog.

Final Internship Update: My Last Few Weeks, Rittenhouse Row's Meet the Concierge Night, and More

            It is a brisk winter day. I fix my hair and look down at my own interpretation of “business casual.” It will have to do at this point. I search the building that my GPS led me to for some type of signage. There it is. Gloss: Public Relations, Marketing, Events. I take in a deep breath and try to shake out my nerves. As the wind blows a cold gust past me, I finally muster up the courage to head up the stairs and meet with the people I am possibly interning for.

            While this nerve-racking, fateful winter day was months ago, I remember it like it was yesterday. Looking back, it is hard to believe that an entire summer has passed and I have completed my first internship and with that, my first step into the professional world. I have come very far since that cold day that I first set foot in the office and I am proud of everything that I learned and accomplished.

            It is hard for me to believe that I am about to write my final Internship Update. Even though these past few weeks were my last, things at Gloss did not wind down. Despite the fact that I started a month before the other interns, they all ended two weeks before me. I was able to choose my start and end date and I wanted to get as much experience out of my internship as possible. Therefore, I decided to work until the week before my vacation. It felt a little weird to be alone in the office again. While I do love to work alone sometimes, assignments that were split between four people were suddenly all placed on me. On top of that, there were two events coming up.

            The first event was sponsored by Kids in Center City and located at The Market and Shops at Comcast Center, which is one of Gloss’ clients. I have worked a KICC event before, so I knew that this upcoming one would be cute and entertaining. However, I did not know how stressful it would be. The stress surrounding the event started before the actual affair did.

            The week before, my boss emailed me asking to order the costume for the character meet and greet. We decided that the event would be Strawberry Shortcake themed, with a special appearance from Strawberry herself. While ordering the costume was not hard, it was a little stressful because I knew that if I messed something up, the main part of the event would be ruined. Thankfully, I followed all instructions and successfully got Strawberry to the event.

Where in the world is Strawberry Shortcake?

            Next came the most stress-inducing trip to Target of my life. My boss explained that at the event, there would be a scavenger hunt. We would place a Strawberry Shortcake themed toy or prize at each food station and have the children go from place to place, getting their checklist stamped along the way. At the end, there would be a prize. It was up to me to buy the toys for each station. My boss simply instructed me to “get 13 Strawberry Shortcake or strawberry toys and a Strawberry Shortcake book that [she could] read to them if we run out of things to do.” Well, it turns out Strawberry Shortcake’s popularity peaked in the 80s. I scoured the shelves of Target for something, anything Starwberry Shortcake related. Nothing in the toy section. Nothing in the party section. Nothing in the clearance section. It seemed as though Strawberry had been completely wiped out by Lalaloopsy and Dora the Explorer. I had just about given up on finding toys for the scavenger hunt and decided to go look for a book. I was shocked to find a Strawberry Shortcake picture book in the elementary reading section. I snatched it up like it was the last book on Earth. Just as I was calling my boss to report that Target does not carry any Strawberry Shortcake toys, I bumped into a cardboard aisle display. I looked down and literally gasped. Through some divine intervention, displayed in front of me was a stack of Strawberry Shortcake coloring books. I frantically counted, thinking it was too good to be true. As if it was a gift from above, there were more than enough. I grabbed 13 coloring books and another just in case, and walked out of Target triumphant.

            While the event was nowhere near as stressful as the toy hunt, it was not a walk in the park. I arrived a half-hour before it started as I was instructed, but I really needed more time. I had to untie and display around 100 balloons and it turns out, that takes time. I started tying them individually to the worker’s chairs, but that took too long and I was on a race against the clock. I resorted to tying them in groups because children started arriving and asking for balloons. If I learned anything at this event, it is that kids are VERY excited by balloons and that purple is the most popular color among children ages 2-7. My boss and I were attempting to untie each individual balloon, but I realized that it took too long and suggested just cutting each balloon from the chair. This was much more efficient. For the rest of the time, my boss was circulating the room and running the event while I was assigned to work the balloons and give out the scavenger hunt prizes. This was very hectic and I realized we could have definitely used another intern to help. Nonetheless, I got through it and the event was a success.

The costume successfully arrived and greeted children.

            For my final week, I switched gears. At the office, we were planning Rittenhouse Row’s Meet the Concierge Night. This was a networking event for the concierges at Philadelphia’s chicest hotels and the Rittenhouse Row business members. The idea behind the event was basically concierge speed dating. Concierges would sit at their assigned table the entire night while the members from each Rittenhouse Row business would circulate the room and introduce themselves and explain their business to the concierges. The businesses were also instructed to bring a gift for each concierge.

            My assignment for the week was to get concierges to RSVP for the event. Even though the invitations were sent out a few weeks ago, the majority of hotels either did not respond or claimed to have never gotten the invite. I had to call every major hotel in the city and explain the event to the concierge and try to get them to attend. This required a lot of voicemails, calling back, and emailing, but I eventually reached our goal of 25 concierge attendees.

            Then it was time to do some “damage control” as my boss put it. We originally told the Rittenhouse Row members who RSVP’d to the event to prepare for around 60 concierges. It turned out that each hotel was only sending one concierge, making the final count roughly half of what we originally said. I was instructed to call all of the members on the RSVP list and apologetically explain the situation and make sure that they plan accordingly. My boss feared that some members would be mad, but everyone I talked to was very gracious and understanding. 

The gift bags that Rouge brought to the event.

            The night of Rittenhouse Row’s Meet the Concierge Night was also my last hurrah as a Gloss PR intern. Walking into the Radisson Warwick Grand Ballroom, it hit me how upset I was that my internship was ending. I realized how much I was going to miss my adventures at the office and working these awesome events. I decided to make the last one count. Another intern was coming back to help work this event. One of us was to work registration while the other was to greet the guests and instruct them where to go and what to do and basically “make the event run smoothly,” as described by my boss. She decided that she wanted me to greet people. I was excited because that meant I would be able to witness the actual event that I put so much effort into planning.

            When guests came in, I had to ask whether they were a concierge or a Rittenhouse Row member. If they were concierges, I would direct them to their assigned table. If they were members, there were multiple options. Restaurants bringing food for the concierges were to bring their supplies to a closed-off part of the room and set up there. Stores could either set up camp at one of the tables in the front of the room or simply carry all of their gifts at once. I then told them that they could mingle around the room as they please, introducing themselves to the concierges and promoting their businesses. All of the members knew to bring only around 30 gifts, which meant that my job was done. There was also an amazing turnout, which meant that my other assignment was successful. My boss even stated how happy she was with the way the event was going.

Rittenhouse Row's Meet the Concierge Night as it started to wind down.

            At the end of the event, I sadly hugged my boss goodbye and she thanked me for being “terrific.” I received a lot of praise from both of my bosses this summer and it felt amazing every time. I think that when you love what you are doing, you just want to do your best. I know that sounds cliché, but that is exactly how I feel about my internship and the PR world as a whole. I worked extremely hard this summer and could not have asked for a better internship or experience. My time at Gloss PR taught me to be passionate about your career and that you truly do get out what you put in. 

Internship Update #2- Best of Nest and Other Projects

            I am learning that there is never a dull moment in the PR industry. At my internship, it seems as though just as we finish up one project, we have at least four more waiting in the wings. That on top off a plethora of events makes for a fast-paced and entertaining work environment. I am also learning something else: I absolutely love it.

            It feels amazing to know that I have picked a major and field that I enjoy so much. In honor of confirming what I already knew, (always trust your gut ladies and gentlemen) I have decided it is time for another internship update.

            Recently, I got to work an event that I was very excited about. It was for our client Nest, which I have written about multiple times before. To jog your memory, Nest is the children’s enrichment center in Center City, Philadelphia that offers classes and playtime to children from ages 6 months to 6 years. Nest came to Gloss looking for some more exposure and traffic among the Philadelphia community.

            To help achieve this goal, Gloss put together an event called Best of Nest. The goal of the event was to invite local “mommy bloggers” to Nest for an afternoon of interactive presentations, classes, and play and in return, have them blog about it. I thought that this was an amazing idea. The bloggers were invited to bring their children along so that they could enjoy all that Nest has to offer.

            The day of the event, I worked check-in. My job was to sign in the bloggers who RSVP’d and add any newcomers to the list. I then had to direct them upstairs where the first “event” was taking place.

            The first thing on the agenda was an informational session with the owners and managers of Nest, where they explained the services Nest had to offer. Next, all attendees were invited to participate in Nest’s music class. There were two instructors, one who sang and played guitar and another who led the dance aspect of the class. I got to watch the class and it was so cute. All of the kids were having a blast, dancing, singing, and playing with the abundance of toys. The bloggers seemed to be having a good time as well. After, everyone attended a cooking class. The final part of the event was a complimentary lunch and playtime in the play space.

Nest's indoor play space
Source: nestphilly.com

            Overall, I think the event went very well. The children and bloggers seemed to have a great time while Nest showed off their incredible services. I was really excited to attend this event because I think it shows what PR is really about. We got to show off our outstanding client and spread the word to a larger audience. I honestly see myself doing events like this in my future career.

            Aside from events, we have been hard at work in the office. It seems that the theme of the past couple of weeks at Gloss has been big projects. The first project that we (the other interns and I) had to tackle was for The Garces Family Foundation. The Foundation was founded by renowned local chef Jose Garces. According to its website, The Garces Family Foundation is a “nonprofit organization that is committed to serving the Greater Philadelphia community by improving the health and education of the underprivileged immigrant population.”

The Foundation's logo

            This October, The Foundation is hosting its 2^nd Annual Garces Family Foundation Gala. The gala invites prominent local figures and businesses to enjoy a night of food and cocktails, made by other celebrated local chefs. The proceeds benefit Puentes de Salud and the Garces Family Foundation. There are several different ticketing packages and options depending on how much a person or business wants to contribute.

            Our job was to send out the invitations. We had to go through the relevant pages of the Philadelphia Business Journal, which lists Philadelphia’s most prominent companies and people, and find the correct contact to address the invitation to. This may sound easy, but let me tell you, it was not. We had to call hundreds of businesses, searching for the right person and name. My script went something like this:

            “Hello my name is Brooke and I am calling from The Garces Family Foundation, which is a                    nonprofit organization. I am looking to send a sponsorship packing and I was looking for the correct   person to send that to.”

            A lot of people had no idea where to direct me, which was frustrating. Many times, I had to navigate through phone trees and be transferred several times. If it was a big company, I could often find the Director of Marketing or Human Resources online, which made it easier. After collecting all of the necessary contacts, the other interns and I had to staple, fold, stuff, address, and stamp hundreds of envelopes. After about a week, we sent them out. It felt amazing to finally send the invitations because our hard work paid off.

            We moved right from that project to another project involving a nonprofit organization. This time, we were working for Living Beyond Breast Cancer, which “empowers all women affected by breast cancer to live as long as possible with the best quality of life.” At Gloss PR, we are planning the organizations annual Butterfly Ball. LBBC’s website describes The Butterfly Ball as follows:

          Living Beyond Breast Cancer’s annual gala, The Butterfly Ball, is held each fall in Philadelphia. This black-tie event raises hundreds of thousands of dollars for LBBC’s programs and services and includes a live and silent auction, dinner and dancing. This year the Butterfly Ball will be held on October 12, 2013 at the Hyatt at the Bellevue.

          The Butterfly Ball is a fundraising opportunity as well as a chance for us to honor women for their courage, strength and compassion.

            A few weeks ago, I sent out letters to local restaurants and bakeries asking for donations of

LBBC's logo

butterfly-themed desserts for The Butterfly Ball. Now, it is time to work on getting donations for the event’s silent auction. Living Beyond Breast Cancer sent out letters to local businesses and restaurants about donating this past spring. It is our job to call each place and follow up. There are almost 600 businesses that we need to call. We are making pretty good progress, but the sheer number of calls to be made is causing this project to be long and strenuous. My spiel for these phone calls is a little different. For the LBBC calls, I typically say:

           

            “Hello my name is Brooke and I am calling from Living Beyond Breast Cancer. A few months ago, we sent out a letter regarding donating to the silent auction for our annual Butterfly Ball. I was wondering if you received the letter and if so, if you had the chance to review it.”

            Again, this is easier said than done. In the vast majority of cases, the correct person to speak to is a manager. But at many places, especially the restaurants, the managers are not in until nighttime, when we are out of the office. This leaves us with a lot of places to call back. Additionally, a fair amount of businesses are claiming they never received the letter. In this case, I ask for the email address of the owner or manager and send them all of the information online. I have yet to get an email response. This task is frustrating and time consuming, but I know that the other interns and I will work hard and get it done.

            In other news, I have found that my boss is trusting me with more important tasks. The other day, she came to the unofficial intern table, explaining that a man from an iPhone and Android app keeps calling her and asking her to meet for lunch. She didn’t really know what he wanted and she picked me to call him back, talk to him, find what he wanted, and report back to her. I was proud that she chose me to make this call because I think it shows that she feels that I know how to deal with potential clients.

            A similar thing happened last week. I always check the messages and email both of my bosses reporting who called and what they want. This week, my lead boss was out of office. I emailed her the messages and she replied and told me to call back two callers. One was a friend of Gloss’, but another was a potential client. My second-in-command boss kept telling me how impressive and good it was that my head boss wanted me to call them back. It feels good to know that I am trusted and respected in my workplace.

            I am interning for about three more weeks before I go back to school for my junior year. I am actually really sad that I have to leave Gloss and that my internship is ending because I love it so much. But, I guess it’s a sign that you made the right career choice when you don’t want to leave your job. 

P.S. We recently found out that The Spring Festival won the Best of Philly award for Best Outdoor Festival. This is a huge deal among the Philadelphia community and I am SO proud of Gloss PR and Rittenhouse Row for winning the award and for their hard work for putting together The Spring Festival!